Improvement in clasps for cotton-bale hoops



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT C. RICHARD, OF NEVTOVN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLASPS FOR COTTON-BALE HO'OPS.

Specification Forming part of Letters Patent No. 21.517, dated September 14, 1558.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. C. RIoHAnn,of Newtown, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Clasp for Cotton-Bale Hoops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exa-ct description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the manufacture of cotton-bale hoops it is a great object to save inetal by securing the full strength of the hoop-iron at the clasp or tie,and at the same time to have a simple clasp which can be conveniently adj` usted,and which is not liable to unclasp or to offer any obstruction in sliding one bale over another.

My invention consists in a peculiar inode of clasping or tying cotton-bale hoops bythe use of three rings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of Iny hoop and clasp. Fig.. 2 is a front View of the clasp. e

-The hoop is made of unusually thin hoopiron.

In clasping or tying the hoop I employ three rings, A C C, Figs. l and 2. One of these rings is larger than the other two. Theymay be made of malleable cast-iron and very small. In fastening the hoop upon the bale of cotton I proceed as follows: One of the rings C is slipped upon the straight end of the hoop-iron B, which is then bent over upon itself,as seen at i-say about two and one-half inches from the end-and the large ring A is inserted into this bend in thei hoop-iron. Now, the small ring C first put upon the hoop-iron, is slipped back toward the larger ring, A, to its proper place, so as to embrace both parts of the doubled portion of the hoop B. Afterward a seeond bend, e, is made in the hoop-iron, and thus the end of the hoop is brought opposite the ring A, into which the end is thrust by a third curvature, o. In the same manner the other end of the hoop B is fastened by the aid of a second ring, C. It may be necessary to clip the end of the hoop B so as to make it of a suitable length before depressing it into the ring A in completing the operation.

This mode of clasping cotton-bale hoops is Very convenient, and the clasp being veryilat and having no angles is not liable to tear the sacking when one bale slides upon another; and, furthermore, the hoop cannot be accidentally unclasped.

I am able to use very thin iron hoops, and `1ny rings also bein-g very light my hoops are remarkably cheap.

As my rings have a rounded surface for the hoop to bear upon, I secure the full strength of the hoop-iron at the clasp.

Having thus fully described my invention, i

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

The use of the three rings A and C C, in combination with the hoop B, as a cheap and convenient cotton-bale hoop, substantially as described.

ALBERT C. RICHARD.

W'itnesscs:

E. HAHN. Hoon Cmrrnicnn. 

